Buying Basketball Equipment
Basketball is one of the most popular North American hobbies. Almost everywhere you look you can pick up a game whether its at the local park or the gym. Now with portable goals you can wheel your goal to the court for a quick game. Its great fun and great exercise all in the same hobby. As with most any hobby the equipment can make or break your experience. It’s not different with basketball. The guys over at Basketball Products International wanted me to take a look at the equipment and tell you what I thought.
Equipment Selection
Whether you’re a hobbyist or run a junior varsity basketball team you can find quality basketball products at BPI. Their products range from NBA style glass backboards, to portable goals, basketballs, nets, scoreboards, and storage equipment. Literally anything you will need to play basketball, BPI sells it. I took a look at several of their products lines and found their selection to be quite varied. They offer basketball nets for instance for professionals and also offer a net for playing basketball in your community pool. The backboards range from full glass models used by the NBA and most high schools and colleges, they also have several portable models, and outdoor setups that can be permanently installed. Sure they have variety, but how is their price?
Pricing
I checked out several different product lines and found all the prices to be very competitive. For instance the nets varied in price from about $7.50 to $45. A $7.50 nets you a standard baseline net. If you jump to $45 you’ll get a zinc plated chain net that will literally last forever. A quick comparison of prices on froogle showed that BPI are very competitively priced. After a spin around their website I found that they state they have negotiated preferred pricing which is generally 10% below MSRP. Can’t ask for more than that!
The website is organized really well and is very user friendly. Its simple to add and remove items for your cart and checkout. There is no doubt in my mind I’d order my basketball supplies from BPI.
A License to Thrill - Collecting James Bond Toys
For the true collector, the thrill is more than just acquisition; it’s also in the chase. Collectors are rarely in it for the money; it’s the excitement of finding the rarest, most obscure things that makes being part of the collecting hobby so much fun. Exchanging notes and showing off your collection to other fans is another big part of the fun; collecting can be like joining a secret club with members all over the world, exchanging tips on finding, restoring and displaying their collections. But of the many kinds of collectors in the world today (and there are collectors of everything from beer cans to rare stamps), probably the most determined treasure seekers of all are toy collectors.
And nobody, but NOBODY, has cooler toys than James Bond.
Since he exploded onto the movie screen in 1965, the suave super spy has been a front-runner in the toy world. And it makes sense; what other character in film and fiction has an entire secret division of the British Government busy making him ever more amazing gadgets? In his every incarnation, James Bond has
had the coolest gadgets, the sleekest vehicles and the most deadly foes-all perfect to be translated into toys for the want to be spy-and the determined collector. James Bond toys cover a span of nearly fifty years, with each new movie generating its own variations for the determined Bonda-holic to collect.
Hobbyists collect James Bond toys for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to recover a lost favourite-the Bond toys were among the most popular boy’s action lines of the early 1960s. Many are fascinated by the clever vehicles the spy has employed over the years, and collect die cast cars exclusively. Others fix their sights on a particular area-Bond weapons and secret gadgets for example, or Bond games. Still others collect Bond toys as part of a larger Bond collection; there are even a few Bond toys in “spy” museums in
both the United States and the United Kingdom. No matter what part of the James Bond legend excites your collecting interest; there are plenty of great items to go around.
The Original Action (Figure) Hero
A.C. Gilberts James Bond Action Figure with spring-activated gun-firing action and their matching Oddjob figure with spring-activated throwing action started this category off with a bang (literally). Later incarnations in the action figure department included Action Man (GI Joe’s British cousin) starring as 007 in several incarnations, as well as 8″ versions by Mego and Exclusive Premiere’s later six and a half inch versions. Collecting them all can be quite a challenge-the AC Gilbert toys are over 40 years old and many have simply fallen apart with age-finding one with its “shooting action” mechanism and firing cap gun is nearly impossible. And while Exclusive’s line is still readily available, locating all of the “Bond Girl” figures to complete a full run can keep a collector busy for quite a while.
No Ordinary Car
Of course, the most prized bit of Bond-ailia had to be the super spy’s trademark Aston Martin. The Aston has appeared as a battery operated car with bump-n-go action, two model kits, and even as an HO scale racer. But most collectors remember the original diecast cars from Matchbox and Corgi; detailed gems with real working ejector seats, pop out guns and rubber tires. Over the years, dozens of manufacturers have made entries into the Bond motor pool, not only reproducing old favorites like the Aston, but also all the many other cars, planes, boats, submarines, mini-jets, rocket packs, helicopters, motorcycles and even spaceships that have appeared in Bond’s film adventures.
Weapons, Mister Bond, Weapons
In 1965, it was the toy every red blooded boy wanted. A realistic black briefcase packing a sleek shell firing Beretta handgun, silencer, stock and scope-plus secret hidden daggers, 007 passport and code-o-matic decryptor, this is the ultimate prize for a Bond toy collector, and can set you back anywhere from
$6-800.00 But what if the briefcase too big for your mission? For the subtle spy, American Character brought us the James Bond Vapor Paper & Action pen. With vanishing paper, projectile firing pen, a secret whistle and a built in booby trap to boot. While spy gadgets are no longer as big a part of modern day Bond offerings, you can’t really consider yourself a true Bond collector if you don’t have at least one of these.
Your Mission, Agent Double-Oh-Collector
If you’re thinking of starting a collection with wide opportunities for expansion, James Bond may be the secret agent you’re looking for. Starting with readily available die cast cars (like Johnny Lightning’s recent version of the Aston) is an inexpensive way to begin. But be warned, just like every Bond mission, the stakes may mount up, as you discover the many games, action figures, secret gadgets and incredibly cool vehicles that you can add to your collection. Because collecting James Bond is a guaranteed license-to thrill.
About the author
David Leigh is a lifelong fan of 007 since discovering his dad’s old James Bond books at the age of 8, and remains particularly interested in the literary character. As well as contributing to various Bond related websites and forums, he also owns the popular website The James Bond Dossier.
Where to Find a Great Online Casino
If you’re cruising the information super highway looking for a place to show off your blackjack or roulette skills you need to check out the Top Casino Directory. This online casino directory clearly lists the top ten online casinos offering excellent kickbacks to players across the world. Not only do they list the bonuses offered by these casinos they also offer up their review of these casinos which can be very useful for those just venturing into the online gambling community.
Online casinos offer player generous bonus offers in order to entice players to their casinos. These offers generally release as you play games, but is a great way to increase your backroll and basically double or triple your money. Some of the bonus offers on the Top Casino Directory reach $5000 in some cases but in general you can get several hundred dollars in bonus money.
The Top Casino Directory also offers casino reviews for each of the offers they promote. These reviews are very helpful in determining what types of games are offered and what you can expect from the software and customer service. Its worth perusing these reviews before deciding where to play. It’s likely though you decide where to play based on the bonus money they’ll throw at you on the way in the door.
To get yourself in the mood to play watch a great movie like Casino or Rounders then checkout the Casino Rules and Strategy section of the website to make sure you understand how each game is played and how to win. In this section you’ll learn the rules and strategy for games like video poker, slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and keno.
There are several other sections of this website that will be valuable to you as an online casino patron. The first section I checked out was the free casino games section where you can play many of the games for absolutely free.
Lastly, remember to always gamble responsibly!
Lewis and Clark Trail Road Trip
Is there a better way to spend a weekend or family vacation than taking a road trip? If you’re a history buff you might want to consider the Lewis and Clark Road Trip Planner website, who has sponsored this post. Those of you in the northwest area of the country can plan a historic road trip down the Lewis and Clark trail with just a click of a button.
Lewis and Clark Trail
Back in the early 1800’s Thomas Jefferson acquired a huge portion of land in the Louisiana purchase. In order to understand just how much land was purchased, Thomas Jefferson sent an explorer, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to make the transcontinental trip. Lewis selected William Clark as his partner and together they trekked across the rugged northwest. What they found was amazing terrain and a country filled with bountiful natural resources beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.
Planning a Trip
If you’re looking to plan a trip along the Lewis and Clark trail you should really check out the Lewis and Clark Trail Roadtrip Planner. This website utilizes Google Maps to provide an interactive interface to fully customize your next road trip.
The trail is easily broken up into sections based on state lines. By simply selecting the area you want to tour you’ll zoom into this section. From there you can select various options like finding national and state parks, historic sites and landmarks. Each of these features are conveniently located on the map with contact info.
If you will be traveling by RV or camping you can easily show all the rv parks and campgrounds within the area. Again they are easily located with full contact information for reference while on your trip.
Aside from these valuable options there are a dozen other options you select such as wildlife refuges, outfitters and guides, rafting and kayak rentals, marinas and boat launches, just to name a few.
This really is a revolutionary way to plan a road trip. You can easily see everything on one simple map to plan your road trip down one of the most history trails in the country.
North Carolina Shark Fishing
This post has been provided by Bryan - a tried and true Virginia shark fisherman.
Cape Hatteras Light house which is called Cape Point, is one of the easiest places to shark fish and rated the best location to shark fish on the east coast due to the sand bars and the guts that run thru them. The sandbar runs off the north side of the point and continues around to the south side. At low tide, it runs out about 500 ft. When I first started out, I had no kayak, and low tide I was able to walk big tuna skirts out on the sand bar and heave over into the third gut, which drops off into about 12-25 ft.of water. I don’t recommend walking the bloody bait out if there are any sharks around. The best shark fishing experience I have had is anywhere from the beginning of June to the end of August and as far as my opinion, set up about 4 hours before dark and fish all night.
The best equipment for this location would be to use a reel that will hold upto 500 yards of 50 lb. test and a heavy action 5-7 foot rod. I generally use a 30 foot, 300 lb. stainless steel liter with a 10/0-14/0 hook(all depending on the size of fish that you are trying to catch), 5 foot up from the hook I use a 14 oz. breakaway sinker. The rip current off of the sandbar when the tides are returning can be a pain. What I mean by breakaway is when I am hooked up the sinker will break loose from the liter line and I am fighting all fish, no dead weight. I use this method for 4-8′ sharks and it has proven to be very productive for me. If your preference is surf casting versus kayaking the bait, then I would use a heavy action 12′ surf rod capable of throwing 6-14 oz. of lead. The reel would have to hold at least 350 yards of 30lb.test and the only surf casting reel that I know of is a diawa 50 sha. It’s got a heavy drag line and is built for duability. The only downfall I have about surf casting is trying to throw a monster chunk of bait, and at Cape Point, the sharks generally run 5-12 feet and it does not take long to spool a surf casting reel. That is why I recommend having your ducks in a row if you are planning to fish Cape Point for sharks. Good luck!
